Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Beefsteak Begonia in bloom

The Beefsteak Begonia (Begonia 'Erythrophylla') is grown for it's foliage - very large, round dark colored leaves. But that doesn't prevent it from blooming.

Beefsteak Begonia blooms

A while back a neighbor gave me some cuttings of her Beefsteak Begonia - 4 large leaves with stems attached. I rooted the leaves and then gave 2 of them to my mother-in-law, who grows some Begonias. We both planted the leaves in potting soil about the same time. My plant is now in a small 4" pot with about 8 leaves. Hers is in a 12" or larger pot with about 8 million leaves! In fact, I think Cheryl's plant is probably larger than the parent plant from which the cuttings were taken.

A week or two back she reported to me that it now has tall, thick bloom stalks with little pink flowers on the ends. Not to be outdone, my own tiny plant decided to put up a little bloom stalk of its own.